The present invention relates to smoking articles such as cones, cigarillos, and/or cigars. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved cigar, cigar shell and method of making a smokable article wherein a conically or frustoconically shaped form of a shell with an interior and longitudinal centerline is preserved where the shell is packaged for sale in an unfilled state (with a reinforcing conical support) such as a foil pouch which the shell's conical or frustoconical shape is generally preserved in the packaging using a conical form mandrel which was constructed from a generally cylindrical starting blank; and wherein conical support can also be used to support the conical or frustoconical shaped of the cigar shell during filling, wherein during the filling process the smokable filler both passes through the interior of the support insert, and the support insert is longitudinally moved relative to the shell in a direction opposite of the direction that the smokable filler passes through the supporting insert and the end of the conical support enlarges as it is pulled out longitudinally from the shell.
Many cigar smokers prefer to use their own tobacco product as opposed to purchasing cigars that are already constructed and filled with tobacco. These users of fine, custom tobacco prefer to start with an empty shell which they prefer to purchase and then fill with their own custom tobacco filler material or other smokable material after the shell has been removed from its package.
Patents have issued for cigar products or smokable products that begin with an empty shell that is packaged in an empty or less than filled condition, thus enabling a smoker to later add his or her custom tobacco filler. For example, the Sinclair U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,321,755; 6,357,448; 6,526,986; and 7,717,119, each hereby incorporated herein by reference disclose tobacco shells that are packaged empty of contents so that a user can add his or her custom tobacco or other fill material to the shell after opening the package.